But with all of the flowering comes a formidable foe, as a blooming bonanza sends the pollen count soaring – and seemingly overnight.

It made for a very busy Monday at allergist Dr. Talal Nsouli’s Burke office.

"It's nothing else than a storm of pollen, especially with the wind,” he said.

“Out of the blue it's just been pretty nasty,” said Courtney Thomas, who just moved to Virginia. Her spring surprise was an allergy season she didn’t see coming.

"Tearing eyes, itching, burning, sore throat -- all of it came on pretty fast."

"I wasn't able to sleep last night with my cough,” said five-year-old Hannah Hard, whose allergies hit after playing outside all weekend. She also has asthma, so her mother Jill took her to see the doctor.

A couple hours and some medicine later, we ask Hannah if she’s feeling better, and fortunately, she nods yes.